Nikes Team USA track and field kit for women is needlessly revealing and sexist, women athletes have said after the US sportswear brand unveiled its outfits for this summers Olympic Games.
Images made public on Thursday of the womens kit on a mannequin, showing a very high-cut pantyline, triggered criticism from several athletes for what they saw as a decision to prioritize skimpiness over function.
They are absolutely not made for performance, US steeplechaser Colleen Quigley said in a message to Reuters.
Lauren Fleshman, the US national champion in the 5000m in 2006 and 2010, shared even harsher criticism in an Instagram post, writing, Im sorry, but show me one WNBA or NWSL team who would enthusiastically support this kit. This is for Olympic Track and Field. Professional athletes should be able to compete without dedicating brain space to constant pube vigilance or the mental gymnastics of having every vulnerable piece of your body on display. Womens kits should be in service to performance, mentally and physically. If this outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it.
She added: This is not an elite athletic kit for track and field. This is a costume born of patriarchal forces that are no longer welcome or needed to get eyes on womens sports. ... Stop making it harder for half the population @nike @teamusa @usatf.
Tara Davis-Woodhall, an American who placed sixth in the long jump at the Tokyo Games and took silver at last years world championships, reacted with equal parts humor and horror, commenting: wait my hoo haa is gonna be out.
Debate has raged for years over more revealing outfits for women Olympians in disciplines from beach volleyball to gymnastics, and some rules on competition wear are changing.
Germanys womens gymnastics team wore full-length bodysuits at the Tokyo Olympics, in what they said was a stand against sexualisation in the sport. Gymnastics New Zealand last week updated its attire rules to allow women and girls to wear shorts or leggings over their leotards.
Nike said in an email to Reuters that it was offering athletes unitard options with both a brief and a short for this Olympics, whereas it only offered the brief for the Tokyo Olympics.
Nikes track and field kits for men and women include nearly 50 apparel pieces and 12 competition styles for specific events, the brand said when launching the outfits.
Nike-sponsored pole vaulter Katie Moon, in a post on X, said the kit shown on the mannequin was concerning, but added that women athletes are given many options on what to wear, and that she prefers briefs to shorts.
A spokesperson for USA Track & Field said: Athlete options and choices were the driving force for USATF in the planning process with Nike.
US middle-distance runner Athing Mu and US sprinter ShaCarri Richardson were among the athletes modelling Nikes Olympic kits at the launch show in Paris. While Mu wore briefs, Richardson wore a version of the outfit with shorts.
Quigley said Nike should also offer athletes who make the team custom tailoring to ensure the kit fits perfectly.
Our bodies are all different and it seems silly to expect us to compete at the highest level of our sport without a properly fit uniform, she said.
Nike told Reuters it will have tailors available for Olympic and Paralympic athletes this year.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/apr/13/nike-olympic-track-and-field-uniforms-women-sexismthis looks like something an old-timey strongman would wear to Coney Island Beach back in the 1920s
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/fdbe2e70.jpg
Might as well run buff at this point lmao. Don't even need imagination.
this looks like something an old-timey strongman would wear to Coney Island Beach back in the 1920s
Does it say just do it on the back?
but added that women athletes are given many options on what to wear, and that she prefers briefs to shorts.oh
We live in very fickle times indeed
I mean, take an honest look at the catalogue of clothing and youll see Nike is just capitalizing on an existing trend
Men dont wear this type of clothing because, well, were under a different kind of ire.. most of us dont go to the beach in a Speedo thong.. or a revealing thong.. >_>
but added that women athletes are given many options on what to wear, and that she prefers briefs to shorts.
i dont get why this is a big deal.
its one unitard styled option out of the almost dozen styles of pants available.
Ohhh So it's actually a non-issue huh?
Lmaooo
olympic runners didn't wear any clothing
It's an issue because there's literally no reason for it to even exist except to satiate horny dudes.What part of they don't have to wear it don't you understand? There's dozens of options available for them and that's one of many. They have lots of choices, and if the athlete prefers that unitard it's serving its reason as her preference.
What part of they don't have to wear it don't you understand? There's dozens of options available for them and that's one of many. They have lots of choices, and if the athlete prefers that unitard it's serving its reason as her preference.
What part of they don't have to wear it don't you understand? There's dozens of options available for them and that's one of many. They have lots of choices, and if the athlete prefers that unitard it's serving its reason as her preference.
Not only that but It turns out the unitard isn't even bad itself as Katie Moon, actually tried it on and it's only the mannequin that it looks weird on.
https://x.com/ktnago13/status/1778464208230764787
It's a sad reality but most dudes are only tuning in to watch peak athletes in skimpy attire.
The team should decide their uniform. This is outrageous
It's a sad reality but most dudes are only tuning in to watch peak athletes in skimpy attire.
What do they usually wear for running?
What part of they don't have to wear it don't you understand? There's dozens of options available for them and that's one of many. They have lots of choices, and if the athlete prefers that unitard it's serving its reason as her preference.
Not only that but It turns out the unitard isn't even bad itself as Katie Moon, actually tried it on and it's only the mannequin that it looks weird on.
https://x.com/ktnago13/status/1778464208230764787
What is so wrong about a woman's body that it must remain hidden?
I understand that just fine. What part do you not understand about it not needing to exist at all? Also the picture you used as your example for "it's just the mannequin that makes it look bad" is not the one from the OP.Shes also signed, under contract, to represent Nike -
I understand that just fine. What part do you not understand about it not needing to exist at all? Also the picture you used as your example for "it's just the mannequin that makes it look bad" is not the one from the OP.